Shows / Beyond the Ballot Box
Beyond the Ballot Box
As they say, democracy doesn't begin and end at the ballot box.
On Beyond the Ballot Box, we have in-depth conversations about political economy and human rights in Malaysia, Southeast Asia, and around the globe through a class prism.
Episodes
- Beyond the Ballot Box
What’s Politics #6 - Better Your Life: Political Action vs Hustle Culture
What's Politics is a series where we delve into political concepts, ideas, and questions and explore how they impact all of us. Something we tend to hear a lot…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
Government Must Not Table Regressive Amendments to Citizenship Laws
Civil Society organisations are once again calling on the government to halt the proposed “regressive” alterations to the nation’s citizenship laws. While they…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
One Person, One Vote, One Value: Unpacking the Kuala Lumpur Declaration
The basic principle of electoral democracy is one person, one vote. Unfortunately, this simple but profound principle is not adhered to by many countries…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
Death Penalty as Crime Deterrent is Fantasy-Fiction
Earlier this year, the government of Malaysia took the highly progressive step to abolish the mandatory death penalty. Just to be clear, Malaysia still…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
What’s Politics #5 - Manufacturing Consent: Media is God
What's Politics is a series where we delve into political concepts, ideas, and questions and explore how they impact all of us. In their 1988 book…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
Here’s How Malaysia Can Do More to Help Palestinians
Israel has continued its bombardment and genocide in Gaza. The Zionist regime, which is a settler colonial military force backed by Western Imperial Powers……
- Beyond the Ballot Box
Why Were Activists and Farmers Bloodied & Arrested Defending Their Land?
On the 24th of October, a Parti Sosialis Malaysia activist, Chong Yee Shan, was left with a bloodied face after being shoved by an officer from the Perak Land…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
No Need For Saviours: Power to Ordinary Malaysians
If you’re a Malaysian, you’ve probably heard of Sang Kancil and the many stories about the little mousedeer such as Hikayat Sang Kancil or Sang Kancil Dengan…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
What’s Politics #4 - Western Colonial Interests in Israel-Palestine
What's Politics is a series where we delve into political concepts, ideas, and questions and explore how they impact all of us. In this episode, we explore the…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
Does Budget 2024 Address the Needs of the Working Class?
Last Friday, the MADANI government tabled the largest budget ever in Malaysia’s history, with a total allocation of RM 393.8 billion. The question is does the…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
The Rise of Right-Wing Parties in Polarised Europe
At one point, particularly the years following World War II, it seemed like Europe had defeated the Far-Right. But now, right-wing populist parties are…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
Budget 2024: Bridging the Gap Between the Rich & Poor
With the rising cost of living, unaffordable housing, rising inequality and stagnating wages, Malaysians face mounting challenges. This is especially true if…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
What’s Politics #3 - Why Ideologies Matter
What's Politics is a series where we delve into political concepts, ideas, and questions and explore how they impact all of us. In this episode, we explore the…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
The Hidden Price of SOSMA on Detainees & Their Loved Ones
SOSMA or the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act is a law that was enacted after ISA was abolished in 2012. The law provides authorities with enhanced…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
The Plight of Stateless People in Sabah
It is estimated that there are over a million non-Malaysians living in Sabah today, including undocumented and stateless people. They live among Sabahans. In…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
What’s Politics #2 - Race is Fiction. Racism is Real
What's Politics is a series where we delve into political concepts, ideas, and questions and explore how they impact all of us. “Race” is a concept that has…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
Who Are the Peneroka Bandar?
Every now and again we will hear news stories about groups of families facing eviction, for example, the case of Kampung Koskan a few months ago. Oftentimes…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
Malaysia in 100 Years: Automation, Universal Basic Income & Services
The robots, as they say, are coming for our jobs. We live in an era where robots can not only do factory work, but also ace MIT examinations, write poetry and…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
MY Country and I: The Malaysia Agreement 1963
Politics in Malaysia often centres around the Peninsular, while Sabah & Sarawak are often relegated to the peripheries of mainstream discourse and our…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
What’s Politics #1 - No, Really. What Is It?
What's Politics is a series where we delve into political concepts, ideas, and questions and explore how they impact all of us. In this episode, we discuss…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
Being a Progressive Alternative: Challenges & Strategies for Unity Government
Out of the six states that went for elections in 2023, the three states with the highest median wages were won by Harapan-BN, while those with the lowest…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
Dr Kua Kia Soong Reflects on Malaysia’s Past, Present and Future
On the 31st of August, Malaysia celebrates its 66th year of Independence. We have come a long way as a nation since 1957 – we have modernised, urbanised and…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
Preamble to Principles: The History and Philosophy of Rukun Negara
National Unity Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang has said that The Rukun Negara pledge will now be recited with the reading of the preamble followed by the 5…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
Can the MADANI Concept Capture the Imagination of the Masses?
With the growing popularity of PAS and the Islamist movement in Malaysia, it is imperative now more than ever, for the unity government led by Prime Minister…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
How Class Solidarity Can Heal Racial/Religious Polarisation
Ethnonationalism, religious nationalism, neo-fascism and other forms of right-wing and ultra conservative populist movements are on the rise, in Malaysia and…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
PRN 2023 Post-Mortem: What Does the Result Mean?
PRN 2023 took place last Saturday. The coalition comprising PH-BN retained Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan, while Perikatan Nasional retained Kedah…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
PRN 2023: Why Are People Treating It Like a General Election?
We’re only a few days away from PRN 2023, a series of state elections happening on the 12th of August, which is this Saturday. The states involved are…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
PRN 2023: The Third Force
The upcoming series of state elections will see a third force namely MUDA and Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) come together to take on the two giants that are…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
The East is Green #5 - Political Party Rivalries
The East is Green is a mini-series where we bring you stories from the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia (also known as the Malay Heartland) in hopes of…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
Apa Macam, ADUN #3 - Public & Affordable Housing
Apa Macam, ADUN? is a monthly series where we speak to a different Selangor state legislative assembly member each month about a plethora of issues affecting…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
The East is Green #4 - Artistic Expression Amidst Constraints and Conservatism
The East is Green is a mini-series where we bring you stories from the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia (also known as the Malay Heartland) in hopes of…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
MUDA Candidate Discusses Taking on PN & PH
MUDA recently announced their decision to contest solo at the upcoming series of state elections that will be taking place in Selangor, Kedah, Terengganu…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
The East is Green #3 - ABIM & Youth Politics
The East is Green is a mini-series where we bring you stories from the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia (also known as the Malay Heartland) in hopes of…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
Bangladeshi Workers Treated Like Slaves
Charles Santiago, who’s a human rights defender and the former Klang MP for DAP, recently wrote a four-parter on Malaysiakini detailing modern-day slavery…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
The East is Green #2 - PAS Has a Non-Muslim Wing?
The East is Green is a mini-series where we bring you stories from the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia (also known as the Malay Heartland) in hopes of…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
Will MUDA Be a Progressive Third Force?
MUDA has announced that it's going solo and will be contesting against not just Perikatan Nasional, but the Pakatan Harapan-led MADANI government pack, as…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
The East is Green #1 - Are the People of Terengganu & Kelantan Happy?
The East is Green is a mini-series where we bring you stories from the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia (also known as the Malay Heartland) in hopes of…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
Former Canadian MP on Democracy & Priorities of the Global Left
We are at a critical juncture in politics right now. The rise of right-wing populism and post-truth narratives isn’t just a Malaysian problem but a global one…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
Terengganu State Exco: Dealing With UMNO’s Legacy of Mismanagement
Terengganu can be considered one of the true swing states in the country. For decades now, the state has flipped between UMNO and PAS, with no political party…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
Does T20, M40, B40 Classification Reflect Reality?
We’ve all probably come across the term T20, M40 and B40. We’ve probably said “T20” in reference to the rich. But does this classification system accurately…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
Road to State Elections: Will This Be a Test for PMX?
It is often said that state elections should focus on local issues, while parliamentary elections focus on national issues. However, the upcoming series of…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
Democracy Under Threat Worldwide: What Should Malaysia Do?
Democracy, a term that resonates with notions of freedom, participation, and equality, lies at the heart of many political systems worldwide, at least in…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
What Would a Progressive Wage System Look Like?
Minister of Economy, Rafizi Ramli recently said that the government is looking in principle at the policy for a progressive wage system in Malaysia and the…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
Xavier Justo’s Rendezvous with Injustice
Xavier Justo is a name that might ring familiar to anyone who’s been following the 1MDB scandal closely. The former Swiss banker who worked for PetroSaudi…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
Apa Macam, ADUN? #2 - Political Party Dynamics
Apa Macam, ADUN? is a monthly series where we speak to a different Selangor state legislative assembly member each month about a plethora of issues affecting…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
Tax! Tax! Tax! For the Common Good
There’s been a lot of debate and discussion surrounding that on social media recently. For example, when Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that the T20…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
Why Do Malaysians Trust Businesses & Employers More Than Government?
Global Communications firm, Edelman recently released their annual Trust Barometer. The Trust Barometer measures the level of trust and credibility that people…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
Public Transportation: What Can We Learn From Singapore?
What does it mean to be a Malaysian urbanite in 2023? It’s about celebrating diverse cultures, one’s love for nasi lemak and of course, complaining and crying…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
Key Takeaways From Unity Government National Convention
Last weekend, the inaugural Unity Government National Convention was held at World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur. A running theme from the unity government’s…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
GE15 Beyond Racial Lines: Unpacking Voting Patterns Around Class, Gender & More
When Dr Bridget Welsh who’s a political scientist and an Honorary Research Associate with the University of Nottingham Asia Research Institute Malaysia…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
Malaysia Human Rights Report 2022
Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) recently released their 2022 human rights report. In we will be taking a look at the various human rights violations that have…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
Parti Sosialis Malaysia: 25 Years of Class Struggle
Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) is celebrating its 25th anniversary this week. Founded in 1998 by a group of social activists, PSM has been an important…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
Apa Macam, ADUN? #1 - Congestion & Last-Mile Connectivity
Apa Macam, ADUN? is a monthly series where we speak to a different Selangor state legislative assembly member each month about a plethora of issues affecting…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
Liberating the Minds: Universities Should Be Hubs For Political Discourse
Dr Sharifah Munirah Alatas is a retired academician who believes that universities should be a hub for political discourse and a place to liberate minds…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
What Are Labour Brokers & How Do They Exploit Workers?
Ikea Malaysia has cut ties with a labour recruitment firm that provides security guards after it had violated the retailer’s policies. IKEA said it initiated…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
Retire With Dignity: Why We Need a Senior Citizens Pension Scheme
Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) has launched a campaign, urging the government to implement a pension scheme for senior citizens. Under their proposed pension…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
Unheard Voices: How Social Media is Changing the Game for Marginalised Communities
Over the past 10 years or so, social media has taken over our lives. Most of us have social media accounts, if not live in these spaces altogether. But more…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
Anwar vs Corruption: The Najib & UMNO Dilemma
In a 4-1 decision, the Federal Court bench rejected former premier Najib Abdul Razak's review application in the RM42 million SRC International corruption case…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
Public Housing Development: We Need a Change in Philosophy!
Public housing has been an important aspect of Malaysian development for decades, as it is viewed as a means to improve the quality of life of the low-income…
- Beyond the Ballot Box
Polarised Across Racial Lines: Unpacking GE15 Ethnic Voting Patterns
Malaysia is highly polarised. The results of GE15 told us that much. But just how polarised are we, especially across racial and religious lines? Dr Bridget…